Mumbai/Belgaum: Double Distribution Day

Today we had two distribution sites.  After leaving the hotel at 7:30 am, we reached Harugiri in about 3 hours.  The distribution went very well, and the young adults from the Rotaract Club were extremely helpful.  We gave our Team Leader a chance to hand out bedkits, and Duncan took the helm at the camera.  Wearing the Canada hat, Jim was a motivator for the children, and gave them 'high fives' as they raced to get their new clothes, pictures taken and finally their bedkit.

Then we hopped on our mini-bus and headed to Ugar to distribute 200 bedkits.  We were warmly greeted and treated to a wonderful meal before starting our work.  The women from the Sugar Factory Ladies Club were out in full force and did a magnificent job of organizing this distribution.  Many of the children that received bedkits were from families that survive on seasonal work, and living a nomad lifestyle. The teachers told us that it is very hard for the children to complete their schooling when they move so often. 

For me the day was special because we had the honour of personally delivering some bedkits that our dear friends and family from Canada have donated.  Thanks to EVERYONE for your support of SCAW!  Each time you donate, you make a difference for a very special child.

Helen Scutt for Team Mumbai/Belgaum 2013
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Mumbai/Belgaum: Athani

Our day began at 7:30 am, and a 3.5 hour drive to Athani.  This drive had a whole new appeal to it, with fields as far as the eye could see with sugarcane, and the odd field of grapes and corn.  We passed bikes, motorbikes, tractors with trailers, and big trucks full of sugarcane.  In the fields we passed little areas full of straw huts, which housed the farm workers and their families.  I would imagine they pack up regularly and move from field to field.  It is obvious that they work long, hard days, from sun up to sun down.  You could see the work being done by hand, pulling out sugarcane, clearing fields and tying the straw.  I felt as though I was dropped into Little House on the Prairie, only with vehicles.  Tractors are decorated, and people bussing all around.  This made it impossible to rest, because you don’t want to miss what is around the next corner.

Our distribution began at approximately noon, with 400 kits to deliver.  The Rotarians were there ready to go, so we began right after the small ceremony.  We were blessed with flowers and ritual dots on our heads.  All made us feel very welcome.  The children were excited and full of smiles and hellos.  Duncan had the children giggling within minutes like usual.  Our distribution lasted about 3.5 hours, and was very well organized. 

We then joined the Rotarians for lunch next door, and headed off back to Belgaum.  It didn’t take long for our hot, tired bodies to relax for the journey home.  All in all, a wonderful day.  It always warms the heart to see the children smile with their bag in hand, and know that 400 more will have a better sleep tonight.

To add to the great day, back at the hotel, outside the window is a party going on for a 12 day old baby.  Babies are given naming ceremonies.  This babies name is being revealed tonight.  There are probably over a hundred people celebrating. 

Kristein and Allison for Team Mumbai 2013
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Mumbai: First Full Day in Belgaum!!

Our first full day in Belgaum is being spent on several activities:  winding down from the travel of last week in the Mumbai area; seeing several suppliers of items that were produced for the SCAW Belgaum bedkit; visiting two previous bedkit recipients; and meeting with our Overseas Volunteer Partners, The Rotary Club of Belgaum, for our Pre-distribution Meeting in the evening.

After a leisurely breakfast and an opportunity to sleep in, we headed to two of our our suppliers.  The first supplier looks after the girl's dresses and frocks plus the boy's shorts and shirts.  The owner of this business, Ramesh, and his staff work for 2 months night and day to put the SCAW order together.  In addition, Ramesh attends each Belgaum distribution centre to ensure that the children receive the proper sizes and do not have any zipper problems.  He has been supplying items for SCAW bedkits for over 15 years.  The second visit was to our sweater manufacturer - another small family business.  Preparing 5,000 sweaters requires one month's production and the owner informed us that the Belgaum order is the biggest that he has ever prepared.  In both cases, these important suppliers asked their staff to come in on their day off to host the SCAW Team and they were happy to oblige.

After visiting the suppliers, we left Belgaum City for a 30 minute drive to a forested rural area in hill country to visit the homes of two children who received bedkits last year.  In both cases, the bedkit items were in good use and the two families were more than pleased to show us their homes where their animals (eg: cows) also reside.  There is no doubt that the bedkits were valued and used. The fathers in both cases were labourers who worked where ever they could find work.  This gave our team the opportunity to appreciate the obvious need of those receiving SCAW bedkits.

The evening will be spent with our Rotary Partners reviewing the schedules and plans for the next two weeks.  We can assure our donors that their dollars are being wisely spent by The Rotary Club of Belgaum. They are certainly a BIG PART of the reason that SCAW can continue to be "THE 100% CHARITY". 

SCAW Team Mumbai/Belgaum
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Mumbai: Travelling to Belgaum

Today was a travel day so we loaded the van, checked out and left the hotel at 9:30a.m and drove out of Mumbai over the amazing sea link bridge.  Our flight on Jet Airways was at 12:05 and after multiple security checks and a bus out to the tarmac we began our one hour flight to Goa.  The humidity and heat of this place hits you immediately and you realize why most of the passengers seem to be Europeans escaping the cold.  Manjunath our driver was waiting for us and helped  load the van and begin our journey to Belgaum.  The road with many switchbacks takes you over the Chula summitt.   The foliage is lush along the side of the road and you can see brown monkeys amongst the trees and egrets perched on their branches.  A storm must of passed through the night before as the road was washed out in one area and one of the highly decorated "Goods Carriers" (delivery truck) had rolled over on the side of the road.  Nobody seemed hurt and a crowd of locals were busy trying to help sort out the incident. Our driver, Manjunath, was amazing and being able to finesse the traffic in India takes ultimate skill.   After close to 4 hours of this winding narrow road we approached Belgaum and stopped at a business location of Mr. Dilip Chitnis who had thoughtfully provided us with a place to freshen up and enjoy a cold drink before we were to view the finishing touches of the bedkit packing.  We were brought to a nearby area and lead around to the back of another factory where a flurry of activity was taking place with an assembly line of  least 30 Rotarians packing bedkits.  They were delighted  to show us how they had sourced out good quality items and  contents definitely looked impressive to us.  After this stop we all felt tired after the long day so we were brought to our hotel in Belgaum. This city in the province of Karnataka has 1.5 million people and is the 2nd largest manufacturing centre in this part of India.  It too has the busy somewhat chaotic feel of Mombai.

Tomorrow is not a distribution day and we will have time to visit some of the suppliers and the homes of previous bedkit recipients which should be interesting. 

Pat Corlett for Team Mumbai 2013
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Mumbai: 250 Smiles!

Our destination today was Bhiwandi to distribute 250 bedkits.  Handing the bedkits to the children after their pictures are taken is such a rewarding job - seeing the smile of each child as they receive their gift is just incredible.  Our Rotarian hosts were very helpful and the distribution went very well.  On our way back to our accommodation in Dahanu, we had an unexpected and very interesting tour of a chicoo (small very sweet tree fruit) farm with trees over 90 years old, and to a co-operative packaging plant.  Our Rotarian hosts treated us to another wonderful dinner at a local restaurant.  We really enjoy their friendship and camaraderie.

Helen Scutt for Team Mumbai 2013
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Pune: Hearing the Dreams

I was back in the villages to see the impact of the bedkit, to talk with the kids, and the parents and the teachers.  What I heard from these individuals did not surprise me, it was what I have heard over many years in different locations and in different languages as a volunteer for SCAW.   The feedback is good, we’re getting it right- the children are sleeping well, their health is good, they are attending school and learning.  I shift my questions, trying to pry out new answers; how could it be that a simple bedkit be this good?  How much would you pay at the market for this item (more than what our overseas partners have negotiated)?  Is there anything you would sell from the bedkit in order to help with other family needs (a vehement “no” to that one).  Rephrased, reconfigured, the answers are the same “everything is helpful, everything is good”.   Do they wish for more?  Sometimes no, sometimes yes. It makes me happy when there are requests for more.  A stronger backpack, more school supplies, a laptop, could we move the medical center closer to their home please? These are not the requests of people who are ungrateful, there is an overwhelming abundance of gratitude expressed; rather, these are the requests of people who are starting to dream big dreams.  It seems to me that people are able to dream big when their basic needs are covered, are blanketed in this case.  So when I hear the requests for more, it tells me again that we are getting it right by providing the children with their basic human right for a good night’s sleep.  The bedkit donations are allowing people to dream in more ways than one.

These photos are taken in the village of Badgi.  One shows Ashwini last year, and now again this year.  In the photo of Ashwini and her family, they are holding some of the photos I took of them last year.

Debbie for Team Pune 2013
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Mumbai: The Value of a Bedkit

The Value of the Bedkit to the Tribal Children

After driving four hours north of Mumbai, we arrived at a country school that was located on the outskirts of Dahanu.  Today was a special day on the Hindu calendar which honoured their god Ganash.  The children did two dances that related the importance of Ganash in their lives and presented us with pictures that they had made that told of local history.

Despite the high heat and humidity, the children travelled between 35 and 120 kms to attend today’s distribution. The children were excited to receive the wonderful backpacks and bedkit filled with schools supplies, a ground sheet, thick mattress blanket, a covering blanket, clothing, pillow, pillow cover and age appropriate clothing. When the few parents that were present were interviewed, they said that the bedkit was a gift that would provide them with an immense boost to their quality of living. Most earned about 100 Rupees a day, or $2.00 Canadian dollars. One of the local Rotarian volunteers said that most of the children would not be able to sleep this evening because of their excitement. They would never have dream of being given such a lavish gift that would be theirs and theirs alone. We talked with one person who said that there were 35 members of their extended family living under their roof.

It is hard to describe how this sort of feedback makes us feel as we represent the SCAW donors on this trip. It truly is an honour and a blessing to be able to experience what we are experiencing on this trip and know that all that is being done by the many volunteers here in India is, “for the children”.

Team Mumbai 2013

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Mumbai: Karjat

 

Today we left the hotel In Mumbai at 8AM and drove for nearly 3 hours to get to the distribution in Karjat. We drove through an ever changing landscape of cities followed by rural areas and then more cities and rural areas. Once we reached the mountains and turned off the main road we drove for half an hour through a rural area that had many signs for new luxury apartments and resorts that are to be built in this beautiful mountainous region. We drove through many villages and passed lots of brick works, but did not see any new luxury highrises

Around 11AM we arrived at the distribution site to find a shelter set up with more than 400 children sitting in orderly rows waiting for our arrival. After setting up the area for photographs, we went into the shelter and were formally welcomed by the Rotarians and then 6 of the girls got up and sang a song of welcome in Hindi and then 6 more came up and did a dance number complete with all the Bollywood dance moves that every girl here must learn at the time when our girls are learning ballet and jazz.

Our distribution went very well. 416 children received their bedkits. The Rotarians on site were a great help in keeping the flow of children moving to the appropriate places.

As this was a rural distribution, we saw the children and bedkits being loaded onto busses and trucks and being driven away smiling and waving. It was wonderful to see how happy they were with the new clothes and all the other items they received today.   

Team Mumbai 2013 
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Pune: Mission Accomplished!

On the last day of our distribution, smiles were abundant as the children scampered to receive their bedkits from the SCAW team and our Pune Rotarian partners.  We were especially fortunate to be supported by eager, enthusiastic, and well-organized student helpers and teachers from the surrounding schools.  As usual, the team was treated to local hospitality and cooking following the distribution of the bedkits.

We were given a special opportunity to visit a woman devoted to the education of young girls.  For 25 years, her hostel and school have been a safe haven for orphans and daughters of very poor families living in remote villages.  These girls are given the chance for a better life and a good education.  Several of her ‘daughters’ have gone on to become teachers, doctors and employed in other professions.

Our mission to deliver 5,000 bedkits over five days has been accomplished successfully.   It touches our hearts that these children will be getting a good night sleep each night from now on.

Peggy, Evan, and Karen for Team Pune 2013
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Mumbai: A Tour Behind the Curtain of Bombay

OUR TOUR FROM A PREVIOUS BEDKIT RECIPIENT

This day was an awesome way to learn about Mumbai and all it has to offer. We were picked up this morning by a young man named Amin,  who is about 30, and a previous recipient from SCAW.  His goal in his words was to
provide us with a tour that shows the "heart of Bombay".  For me, this is what he accomplished.  Amin dreams of opening a coffee shop to help the orphans who live in his previous orphanage, funding it through his book about his life.

Amin toured us through the devastation of the poorest areas, and the red light districts, which he told us not to photograph.  Apparently these areas are controlled by Mafia, and it could create a safety issue. Through this part of the tour, Amin shared parts of his own life, adding a sense of reality to what we were witnessing.  He himself growing up on the streets, and in an orphanage. living through very difficult situations.

Also as part of our tour, we were able to see areas of extreme wealth, and the tourist spots such as the festival, and the Gates of India.  During our tour, every turn, every street, and building were explained to us. This made the tour awesome due to it being told by someone so passionate about his home.  What took 5 hours, seem to be moments, and could have went on for much longer.

The day consisted of tears, smiles, and laughs.  It was such an amazing way to begin our distributions.  As a first-timer to Mumbai, I will be-able to look at situations, people, and this experience differently.

Thank you to Amin, who so kindly provided us a day with true honesty, and a tour that came directly from your heart. I look forward to reading your book, "Life is Life, I am Because of You".

Kristein Johnson
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Mumbai: Pre Distribution Meeting

The day began with the team meeting for breakfast at the YMCA.  After the late night all of us were functioning at less than 100% but we were looking forward to our first taste of fascinating Mumbai.  The plan was to meet at noon with for a pre distribution meeting with the Rotary Mumbai SCAW team. After introductions and a productive meeting the entire group travelled through the traffic of Mumbai to the Malabar Hill Club where we were treated to a most enjoyable lunch hosted by Rajni Resham.  On our way back to the hotel we made a short visit to the ancient Jainest Temple which was filled with the sound of worshippers singing and chanting and then back to our hotel for the rest of the day.  Most of us went for walks in the neighbouring vicinity and especially took note of Mumbai's special symphony of sounds; the periodic call to prayer from the mosque; noisy birds; children's voices; honking horns and construction noise all which are unique to this incredible city.   

Helen Scutt & Pat Corlett.
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Mumbai: The Team Has Arrived!

Pat Corlett, Helen Scutt, Jim Howley and Bill Sergeant managed to get out of Toronto just before the worst of the snow hit on Thurday. We were delayed until 8:00 pm from taking off due to the de-icing requirements and landed in Heathrow about 7:30 a.m. so we had a leisurely wait for our flight to India. We met up with Kristein Johnson and Allison O'Neil as we were waiting to board our flight in Heathrow, so all is well.

We arrived in Mumbai 15 minutes early but it still took 90 minutes to get our luggage and get our of the airport. Murali Iyer's two drivers picked us up at the airport and drove us to the hotel at 2:30 am. When we got to the hotel they only had 3 rooms for us instead of 4. Pat Corlett ended up bunking in with Kristen and Alli, so that worked out. None of us really slept well during what was left of the night. We had a quick breakfast this morning and the rest of the team is out wandering around this area of Mumbai. Lots of traffic, people carrying their wares in pots and bowls on their heads (including a large fish in one bowl). The weather is warm, such a change from back home.

We are meeting with the SCAW Mumbai team at noon for our pre-distribution meeting. We are looking forward to distrbution the 2,000 bedkits in the Mumbai area over the next week before flying south to meet the Belgaum SCAW OVPs and celebrate their 25th year with SCAW whilel handing out 5,000 more bedkits.

Bill for Team Mumbai 2013
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Pune: Rest Day

Today was a rest day for the team.  We were treated to a most unique and memorable city tour by Jatin and Raj, two of the Pune Rotarians with whom we are partnering with for the distribution. 

The first stop was the Gandhi memorial (Aga Khan Palace).  Stepping out of the car and onto the grounds, we left the noise and hustle and bustle of the city behind us to find ourselves in a tranquil oasis.  Neelam, our guide, whose father was a headmaster at the school and has spent most of her life connected to the memorial shared Gandhi’s history and teachings with us. 

From there, we travelled narrow city streets lined with stalls to see one of India’s dying traditions; the communal washing of clothes.   En route back to our hotel, we again witnessed every possible form of conveyance on the city streets.  Traffic ground to a halt at a major intersection to safely navigate around the sacred cow that had decided to join the traffic.

We concluded the day with dinner at a local fish restaurant.  It’s off to bed for us now as we are up early tomorrow morning to travel about 3 hours to reach our distribution site.

Evan and Karen for Team Pune 2013
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Pune: Long Days

Our distribution site for today is nestled in a valley surrounded by a chain of beautiful mountains. It’s a scenic vista but for some of our families living in the more remote and isolated parts of this region, it meant that they would have a very long day. One mother told me that she and her two children walked for three hours to be part of this special day of celebration as we were welcoming close to 1000 students from 45 different rural schools. Once her family picked up the two bedkits, they had another 3 hour trek back home to their mountain hut. This mother was overwhelmed with the number of items in the bedkits and was grateful that we were willing to help her children. Her story is one of many that have touched the hearts of our team members.

 

By Peggy Morrison for Team Pune 2013
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Pune: Smiles

Another amazing day full of exciting experiences! The SCAW Team all had a

Pune Time and Weather Click for forecast.

turban wrapped on our heads, and then got to ride on a bull-cart which was great! The children put on  an excellent singing and dancing performance with beautiful costumes and music. Afterwards when we gave the children their bedkits, the smiles just warmed my heart. What an incredible feeling in this faraway special place!

Susan Hick for Team Pune 2013
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Pune: First Distribution

After a fantastic evening of hospitality at the home of our partner Rotarians, we felt very connected with our overseas partners and this set the tone for today’s distribution.  We arrived at the village to find over 900 children and their parents waiting patiently for us, oxen cart decorated and ready to parade us into town.  We were brought into the site amidst dancing and singing, music and celebration, an abundance of music and colour and joy.  We were still reflecting tonight how great it was to see the excitement in the eyes of the children when they saw the $35 gift of a bedkit; their excitement mirrored ours and we felt very happy to be here on behalf of our donors.

Pune Team 2013
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Pune: The Team Has Arrived!

From leaving Toronto at 6pm Friday, to arriving at our hotel in Pune at 9 am Sunday, the team has been in great spirits knowing that this is the start of our 5000 bedkit distribution.  Good thing we prepared our team to "expect the unexpected"- our journey got extended today when the driver got lost on the way to Pune from Mumbai!   As soon as we got off the plane in Mumbai it hit us- the heat, the humidity, the masses of people, the vibrant chaos even in the middle of the night.  Driving past many people living on the streets we know there is lots of work for us to do.  Tonight we organize with our Rotary partners, and tomorrow we get to work!

Debbie for Team Pune 2013! 
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Kolkata -Sudhir Memorial School - Final Distribution Day

For our final distribution at the school we actually experienced, finally, normal Kolkata weather. It was very warm for the whole day. The day began with the children receiving a food packet and then sitting down at long tables to enjoy it with the parent that accompanied them. The food was provided by our wonderful Rotarian hosts. It was good to see the children lining up and standing so patiently as they waited for their photos to be taken without seeing them shivering from the unusually cold temperatures.They came from
several different areas  and definitely were needy children. Many didn't have shoes and as school was not in session, they wore their best outfits rather than school uniforms. Clothing was clean and often they had minimal items on. We knew immediately that they needed the gift of a bedkit. The smiles were huge and handshakes followed every passing out of a bedkit.

It was a delightful ending to our 6500 bedkit distribution. Be assured that tonight 6500 children will be warm in their new beds. Thanks for the opportunity to be with them.

Richard for Team Kolkata 2013
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